There’s no settling Danville Braves / Burlington Royals season series

Bob Sutton / Times-News

Sunday

Aug 18, 2013 at 12:01 AMAug 18, 2013 at 1:11 AM

Now something that a rain-filled season for the Burlington Royals had yet to include:

A canceled game.

The Royals and Danville Braves were rained out Saturday night at Burlington Athletic Stadium, marking the Royals’ first Appalachian League game nixed that won’t be made up this year. It was the last scheduled meeting between the East Division rivals, who split 10 previous matchups.

“It’s amazing with this weather, this is our first canceled game,” said Royals manager Tommy Shields, whose team has endured an array of postponements subsequently leading to nine doubleheaders. “We’re not the only one (dealing with this).”

As the teams waited nearly two hours, a scheduled postgame fireworks show was held. Rain struck again and the game was canceled.

Adding to the oddity, a Salvation Army band on hand then played the national anthem — after the game’s fate had been determined.

Third baseman Nic Cuckovich joined the Royals from the Lexington Legends less than a week ago, and there have been two rainouts in that span. He figured the reassignment would offer more playing time.

“I wouldn’t have been playing as much (with Lexington). They sent me here to play,” he said, discussing the rain issues that also impacted the South Atlantic League. “Playing every day, that’s what every player wants.”

The Royals start a three-game road series tonight against the Kingsport Mets before an off day Wednesday and then the last homestand of the season — a three-game series against the Johnson City Cardinals beginning Thursday night.

Pitchers Sam Lewis and Jake Newberry, both scheduled to pitch against Danville, have been rescheduled for tonight’s series opener in Kingsport.

Last year, the Royals were rained out three consecutive days in Kingsport, Tenn., and never played an inning there.

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